Glass & Paper
by LadyAppleBeinagrind
Summary: An luxurious collection of little Alois One-Shots in sweet and salty flavors. All the stories are little pearls on a string that ties together the entire necklace with a beautiful bow in silk. [Alois Trancy X Reader]
1. Chapter 1

The fair-haired boy stood up straight as a pine. He surveyed the view behind the crystal clear glass, reminding me of a cat sitting on a windowsill hidden behind a curtain.

With his back turned against me I felt vague in his presence, but I did not judge him in any way. This was unfortunately a day with gray clouds in the sky of Alois's life. It was shame because the sun was shining like a godsend outside. He looked to be sculpted by an angel where he stood. His hair possessed the same luster as pure gold in the daylight that penetrated through the window and his blue eyes glittered like slippery ice. Even the reflection of him in the glass was remarkably breathtaking.

This morning I was greeted by loud noises. Something was shattered and poor Hannah was abducted by the triplets, once again. Alois didn't even look in my direction. He placed every single bit of his hospitality in Claude's hands and left the contemporary event. A moment later I was invited to keep him company in his bedchamber. But not a single word had been spoken between us. Every once in a while I looked up from the book I was reading, only to see him stand by the window in silence.

I smiled behind the wall of pages. How hard could it possibly be to get the young Earl Trancy in a better mood? I was his friend, was I not? Alois himself has confirmed that to me. I carefully put the book down on the table in front of me and sat up more properly in the couch. My whole being tingling in optimism.

"You know… I really like you, Alois." I said softly. The atmosphere in the great room thickened like whipped cream. But I refused to take back my words since they came out so perfectly and permeated nothing but kindness.

He turned around after long thoughts but he did not look at me. He was looking at his butler with an impassive face. Claude had been standing hidden from sight this whole time, available if we would be in need of anything. Not to sound rude, but I had entirely forgotten about him! No one could deny that he was a master at blending in almost anywhere without being discovered...

"Leave us." Alois said with an unnecessarily harsh tone. Claude bowed obediently.

"Yes, your highness." He said and left the room after giving me a wary gaze.

Alois's ice blue eyes stared daggers into the closed door until he was sure the two of us were left alone. He slowly glanced at me, his cold facial expression unchanged. He walked towards me; heels knocking the floor in rhythm with his steps. I looked up at him with a mixture of curiosity and restlessness. My heart was not merciful to me. Alois stood a few steps away from me. He was close enough so I could see every pale, faultless feature that dominated his young face.

"Explain this." He tried to sound kind but his cold eyes betrayed him.

I tilted my head slightly.

"I... like you?" I asked timidly, unsure of what to say. His current wide eyes looked at the floor, hidden by a few bright hair strands. He looked confused, disgusted and flattered, all at the same time. It was like he made a silent confirmation within himself. My words had been said, and repeated. He had heard what he thought he had heard, and he had no idea how to respond to it. The platinum blonde locks in his neat but messy fringe bounced away from his eyes when he spoke.

"Why?" He said shortly. His sharp gaze was fouled together with mine.

"Say, why do you fancy me?" He added more kindly and almost curiously. Just then, I realized the heaviness of my words.

I went silent.

"As I thought... Why would you like such an impure soul like my own?" He examined me closely, head to toe. He snorted with a smirk. A dry chuckle escaped him. I was on the verge of dying inside. But I cannot tell why.

**"But I really do! I-"**

"Shut it. Don't raise your voice at me. Stupid girl." He said calmly, avoiding my eyes.

"I think it's time for you to take your leave now."

I just nodded and stood up clumsily before him. _Should I say something to him?_

"Well, don't just stand there like a string restricted puppet! Didn't you hear what I just said? Leave!" Alois fiddled with the charcoal ribbon around his neck, like it was a more important priority than my visit.

And I made my exit.

As I walked down the stairs I couldn't help but grin. Not only because his lack of temper could be amusing sometimes. But also because of the little smile I caught a glimpse of, tugging at the corner of his lips before I left the room.

Maybe I was able to give him a little dose of sunshine after all.


	2. Chapter 2

"Is this distracting to you?"

I did not look at him, but I could tell exactly what he was doing.

"I do not know." I answered softly. I did not bother to pay him that much attention, but I knew that he was sitting beside me at the edge of the round dining table while examining me. In the corner of my eyes I could see his slender shoe-less legs stretch out on top of the table surface. I blinked tiredly and went over to the next page in the book I was trying to read once again.

"How about this, then?"

Something that sounded like moving fabric influenced by a silent shuffle could be heard in the background.

He was definitely undressing one of his legs. Stripping one of his over-knee socks off his leg; I could outline a pale bare limb behind the barrier of my book, even though it was slightly blurred. The air became harder to breathe but I forced myself to keep my nose stuck inside the book. My inadvertence bothered him.

He climbed onto the table and crawled towards me.

"What is it that you're reading?" He asked and sighed, his voice getting bored. He lay down on his stomach. I could almost feel his sharp eyes glare holes into the dull cover of the book I held. Although his interest was as dry as an old plant in the desert, his question made me glad and I wanted to answer him.

"Oh, It is called-"

"I **hate **it." He stole the book from my hands and tossed it onto the floor. Black words and sentences were replaced with two lustful eyes of gleaming blue. They reminded me of the midwinter sky. I stared at him with a rather baffled expression. His calves dangled behind him in the air and his chin was placed in his hands. One of his socks were compressed like a concertina around his ankle.

"Well, that was very rude." I told him while my eyes were blinking in readjustment.

"No, _you _are the one who is rude here..." He muttered. His gaze darkened slyly.

"You never pay attention to me. I hate that bloody book." His lips twisted into a smirk and he put down his head on the table, resting it on top of his folded arms.

"What do I have to do to get a little attention around here?" He said huskily, his eyes looking up at me in gloomy innocence. The swinging of his legs slowed down and he made an effort to show off his bare leg again. The smirk remained on his face as he turned around so he was laying on his back. His platinum hair spread around his head, some of it over the edge of the table. He stretched out his toes towards the ceiling while he was watching me upside down.

_It looked rather dangerous._

I saw a small puppy in front of me, thirsting for attention and affection.

"You are **so** rude!~" He chimed. I rolled my eyes at him and let sigh escape from me.

"Do not say such things Alois. You do not**- Oh, for god's sake** **Alois!** Put your stocking back on!" I said as he wouldn't stop showing off his legs. A frisky smile appeared on his face.

I am sincerely sure that he will fall off this table and hurt himself in less than a minute; and **I am** the one who will be blamed for it.

"Oh, what was that?" He asked nonchalantly and his legs finally got brought down as he hugged them to his chest. His upside-down face was glancing up at me with a innocent expression.

I somehow felt strangely relieved when he finally had rolled around; his eyes sparkling at me in enthusiasm and his half grin let me see a glimpse of his straight row of teeth. His whole face was mischievous. In his eyes burned a fire of blue flames that warmed up my cheeks with their intensity. He unhurriedly sat on his knees which he allowed to part so he could place his palms between them. I did not know if I should laugh or cry at his seductive body language. He was moving ever so slowly.

I sat glued in the chair, my hands holding onto the armrests. He wore a devious smirk on his face as he leaned in. He smelled like blended fruity teas and pastry.

"Yes, Indeed... I _am_ distracting you!" He whispered and hurried a small, murky snicker. I sank down even more in the chair.

"No." I said calmly, inwardly wanting to crawl underneath the table. He placed his hands on my shoulders as he effortlessly pulled himself down onto my lap with ease, slim arms going around my neck.

"I apologize then. That makes me a failure." He breathed. My eyes never left his greedy ones as I leaned down in order to find his ankle. I took this opportunity to pull his stocking back up. He stared at his dressed leg with a puzzled expression.

"It is a bit cold in here, don't you think?" I said boldly. Alois pouted and rested his forehead against mine.

It was such a silly thing for me to say; Of course, it was not the truth.


	3. Chapter 3

"Oh my dear lord! What happened to your eye?" I asked startlingly as I examined Hannah's bandaged face. I just arrived from the restroom only to end up in one of the many corridors in the huge Trancy mansion where I happened to meet the long-haired maid. She thoroughly dusted of the luxurious furniture and expensive items on the walls. She stopped when she noticed my presence.

My eyes drifted between her visible navy blue eye and the bunch of bandages.

I had excused myself in order to go to the bathroom and this was the first time I saw Hannah after a few days.

Hannah blinked in soft confusion. She gave me a half-hearted smile and continued to wipe the furniture.

"Nothing. Do not worry." She chimed.

I stepped towards her and examined her face closely, my curiosity possessing me.

"Are... Are you blind?" I asked cautiously. Not sure if it was a temporary injury.

_Maybe she just accidently spilled some soap in it or something…_

She didn't answer. Instead she just stopped for a few moments before continuing with her cleaning. Her silence terrified me and my silly thought made me embarrassed of myself.

**_Soap_**_. Really?_

I felt so bad for her, and I've gotten a funny feeling about the source of her damage. What could possibly have happened? She was half-blind, and yet she was working so hard. What was my excuse? My eyes watched her as she stepped down from the small footstool she was using to reach the edges of the huge portrait. She reached down to a bucket full of water to grab something.

"Let me help you." I smiled as I grabbed the cloth from her fragile hands and turned to the small fancy table that stood against the wall under the painting.

"No! Miss… There's no need to-"

"Please. I insist." I begged. She looked at me tenderly, her eyebrow twisting in a mix of anxiety and mercy. I could feel how worried the woman was, even though my eyes focused elsewhere.

"It's all right. You are such a hard worker Hannah." I said, but stopped wiping the furniture surface to look at her. A smile graced my lips.

"In fact; I think you're the best maid in the world!" I complimented as a cheeky blush spread across my face. I just wanted her to ease up and smile a little. My plan worked as a feminine chuckle escaped from her. She modestly covered her mount at my bold words.

Before I could continue my cleaning, she gently cupped my face and caressed the sides of my face. Her hands were inhumanly soft.

"You are too kind." Her eye was still filled with tender and a bit sorrow. I wanted to smile at her and return her charm but she somehow trapped me under her gaze so I couldn't do anything other than blush. How do you response appropriately to this kind of angelic contact?

"Hannah."

Both of us froze at the sound of his voice. But I was the only one who dared to look at him. Alois eyes bounced between the two of us. Eventually, they stopped on Hannah. My face was still carefully trapped in her hands. We held our breaths together and counted each slow second. Maybe we even prayed within us.

"Don't you have anything better to do than harassing my guest?" Alois snapped at her. Hannah's fingertips slipped off my cheekbones and she gave a deep bow before grabbing her things and disappeared along the hall. Alois shot a stare at me.

I hid the cloth behind my back.

"And where the bloody hell have you been?" He scolded. I grinned awkwardly.

"Well I got permitted to go to the restroom... But now I'm here!" I said in my best happy-go-lucky voice.

He continued glaring at me and pouted slightly with a frown.

"Did she hurt you?" He commanded. I quickly shook my head.

"N..." His obtrusiveness silenced me. He continued walking towards me until my back hit the furniture behind me. He looked skeptical.

"What did you do here then? With _her."_ He muttered the last part as a disgusted look crept onto his face.

"We only talked."

"Oh, really now?" He gave me a half smirk as his hands reached up to cup my face.

"May we also _**talk**?" _He raised one of his eyebrow teasingly at the last word. He stepped closer. I moved back into the furniture, almost dropping the cloth.

"If you call _this_ talking…" His thumbs caressed my cheeks. To my astonishment, his hands were a lot more warmer than Hannah's. He then placed them firmly on my shoulders in order to pull his body against mine in a movement, his figure leaning against me effortlessly.

"May we do more?"

His hands moved down along my upper arms and stopped at the edges of the furniture, closing me in between his arms. I never got the opportunity to respond since he distracted me by getting even more closer, sniffing below my jaw line. His soft nose tip made the hair in the back of my neck rise, and his warm breath put a magic spell on my skin. My unspoken desires were probably written all over my entire being. Alois had crawled into the deepest parts of my soul and ransacked my inner thoughts. Because without having me answer "_Yes_" or "_We may_" he whispered,

"Then, _please... _Let go of that filthy cloth."

Only Alois himself and heaven knows what a step from holding another's face would entail.

_But I also wanted to know._

_And I was not brave enough to ask him._

**_I'm sorry, Hannah._**


	4. Chapter 4

Two pair of small eyes were staring back at me. I couldn't really place the color of the unclear orbs, but his gaze still made me feel inferior, even though the plump man was only a splash of color trapped inside a huge frame of gold.

As much I may want to, I didn't have the courage enough to admit that this stranger was ugly.

But he was, indeed. Hideous, even.

I couldn't help questioning why somebody like Alois would chose to have such an old unattractive man, gracing his golden walls.

I probably sound horrible, judging his poor appearance like this, but there was this something about the man's eyes that did not allow me to think well of him.

He had this huge nose and wrinkly squareish face covered in brown/grey spots. His greasy hair was pure white and surrounded his fat face and almost reached to his shoulders. The jewelry and his luxury clothing meant that he was rich, but I still lacked respect for him, even though I did not even have a clue who this person was.

In other word; He looked very evil.

I would love to leave but I couldn't stop wondering about this man. My eyes didn't want to leave the portrait. It was a horrible feeling. Like when you want to continue watching something terrible, even though you don't want to. It was like having an examination of a slaughtered animal with hidden curiosity.

I was so deep in my own thoughts. I didn't even notice a presence behind me.

When I turned around to return to the lounge, where the young Earl probably waited impatiently for me, I was faced with two pools of blue and a petite smirk. A sword of some sort were positioned on the side of my face, resting firmly on top of my shoulder.

_**"Ole!"**_

"Alois!?"

He cocked his head to the side, his pale features showing off beautifully from that angle. If I weren't concerned about the blade near my head and throat, I would adore his delicate appearance. His smirk disappeared slowly, leaving his face with a serious expression. I felt the weight of the blade become heavier. I swallowed.

Then all of the sudden, he chuckled and loosened up.

We looked lightly at each other with lazy smiles before I turned around to glare at the painting once again.

The grip on his sword had lightened and he lifted the blade gracefully off my shoulder as I'd turned around.

The tip of the sword was nudging my neck, and I felt the sharp tip glide between my shoulder blades, dance along my spine towards my bottom, aiming at my tailbone. I shivered and blushed slightly.

I have to admit that I got a bit weak in the knees when he mildly said;

"Here's the girl who has disobeyed the Highness of this mansion."

The tip of the sword went downhill and gently slid off at the hollow area behind my slightly bent knees. Alois let the tip of the sword face the floor as his hand fell limply beside him.

"Who is this man in this portrait?" I asked, ignoring his random choice of words. The corridor went silent.

_**Too**__ silent… _

"If I may wonder." I added, a valiant attempt to counteract the possible explosion.

I turned around to look at him. His blue eyes looked past me at the painting before us. His whole face looked to be without emotion.

"Alois?" I whispered hesitantly. A wicked smirk slowly formed on his face but his eyes was still two frozen puddles of water.

"He's my father." He said monotonically. My eyebrows raised slightly.

"Really?" I asked. Alois looked at me strangely, his smirk dropped into a straight line. He was obviously tired of me, sniffing and scrabbling in his personal life. He let the sword fall to the floor with a loud jingle that sounded dangerous in my ears. But a smug look quickly appeared on his face once again.

"Why?" He asked.

"Do you fancy him?"

"Of course not!" I said rather loudly. I answered too quickly, remembering the small eyes that gave me the chills and his greasy hair. I didn't mean to sound so rude but I didn't want to give him the wrong ideas either. His eyes stared at the surface behind me once again, an annoyed expression quickly took form on his face.

_"Out of all the paintings in this bloody mansion…"_ He muttered.

"Huh?" I turned around to join his viewing. Facing the content inside the golden frame, we both glared at the unmoving old man.

_"You choose __**this.**__"_ He finished.

The more I looked at the painting, the more eerie the situation became. I heard the sound of his shoes before I felt his little button nose in the hock of my neck.

"Do not waste your eyes upon such an ugly sight." He whispered.

He had been eaten pudding cake again. Vanilla and strawberry to be exact. He snickered closely and unabashedly grabbed my love handles.

"Let's **burn** it. Together."

And we did.


	5. Chapter 5

My senses huddled together when I felt his hands on me.

I winced when his fingers stroked the sides of my face with serious caution, as if I was as fragile as a bubble of soap and water.

"Look at me." He said quietly, but his patience began to drain from the filter of his sanity.

My eyes were looking at the surface diagonally behind his left side; Some blond cowlick curls, a high cheekbone and one ear was visible in the corner of my eyes. But I could not look into those pale blue orbs, even if I really wanted to. Even if I really missed them. Even if I actually longed for them. My fingers and nails were pressed into the fabric of the mattress underneath me. With my head held high and distant eyes, I rejected his words before his kneeling position. My rows of teeth were clenched tightly together in order to keep myself silent.

_**He hit me.** He had hit me so hard that I lost my footing, and my body became one with the floor as I fell headlong to the ground. It felt almost unreal when the triplets helped me up, just as they use to help Hannah after her punishments caused by the young Earl. I did not bleed, I did not get any permanent damage, and the pain was not superior. But oh, how it hurt. When Alois looked at me with wide astonished eyes and ran out of the lounge like he had seen a ghost, I wanted to cry like a little child. Claude's staring eyes did not help much, and Hannah's soft fingertips had no longer had any significance on my cooling skin..._

Therefore, I could not currently look him in the eyes.

His hands were holding onto my knees. His fingers were gathering the fabric of my skirt to the insides of his clenched fists; His narrow wrists shook a little when they did. He whispered my name grimly. His sweet voice cracked somewhere and his voice was marked with tears of guilt. He took a deep, shaky breath and tried to speak again.

"I'm sorry." He said in a confined breath. It was a hoarse, tattered, beautiful apology, and the world came crashing down on me.

His excuse was proof that it had really happened, and I could no longer hold back my hurt. A lone tear graced my cheek and Alois must have seen it, because he had a breakdown. His hands were clutching my knees harder as he pulled himself up and cried loudly and genuinely in my lap. His face rubbing against the fabric of my dress, his tears smearing all over his face and soaking my skirt.

"I'm sorry!" He shouted without any interference, his hands kneading my thighs. "I'm sorry! I'm sorry! I'm sorry!" His blond head approached my waist with every apology, nudging me with his tear stained face.

His hands were fumbling all over my body until he finally hung onto my arms and thrust himself upwards, slowly climbing up to the bed. His head had reached my chest and his thin arms embraced me. I almost fell backwards when he placed his pantyhosed knee next to me on the mattress.

I hugged him back in instinct. I put my hands on his shoulder blades for balance, but his obtrusiveness was overwhelming when he deliberately fell on top of me to keep me in place.

I groaned meekly at the compact. Alois nosed his way between my collarbones and to the side of my neck where he settled in. Weeping, he snuggled the hook of my neck and my throat. His clammy hands held mine like there was no tomorrow.

He looked up at me with an almost comical appearance, an expression that one might would have laughed at if things were not as they were. His expression was a mixture of curiosity and embarrassment. His eyes were glossy, like his whole face whose cheeks were soaked in tears and blossomed in red. His reddish lips trembling under the shining surface below his nose.

"Forgive me." He whispered miserably.

I examined him behind lines of tears. Soft platinum blonde waves, big blue innocent eyes that could also be very seductive and mysterious. His handsome face and exciting, and sometimes, flirtatious aura.

Everything was up to me; he could act like a silly little kid, with his improbable actions, or the way his sly, witty words rolled off of his tongue. It was only for me to decide, or accept that, unfortunately, along with that tongue came fangs.

_**An astonishing flower, with sharp, poisonous spines.**_

My eyes gave birth to a new tear, this time with a flattered taste. Yet, he had been crying much harder than me.

He hiccuped quietly and licked his lips. His light, soft breaths felt close when he exhaled.

I smiled warmly at him and tangled our fingers together.


	6. Chapter 6

"Good evening, Alois."

My hands held the shoulders of his chair as I interrupted his dinner with a sane mind. (Of course, I wouldn't do it if I knew that Alois would punish me with his cruel methods, but he was in a awfully good mood today.) I bent down over his shoulder slightly, eyeing the dinner he almost finished. Alois curiously turned his face to the side. We looked at each other for a short time before I planted a small kiss in the corner of his lips.

My sudden boldness shocked the both of us, but mostly myself!

The triples, even Hannah, frowned and gaped at my sudden action of affection.

My defense is allayed. Lately, Alois have been the only thing on my mind. So maybe I just needed some sort of confirmation of his availability.

It is important to show your feelings towards people you care about. Because they will never know about them unless you voice them.

Or put them in action.

But what was I thinking?!

Even if Alois might be flattered by my action; I knew how much he hated those kinds of kisses, even though we barely kissed before. Mostly because they weren't "proper kisses" and they were apparently ridiculous and much too sweet for someone like Earl Alois Trancy. But all he did was sighing softly before grabbing a napkin and wiping his mouth with it. It was hard to tell if he was using it to wipe off leftovers or only wanted to show me how all for naught my affection was towards him.

He tossed the now used fabric carelessly on the floor and ordered Hannah to pick it up; Which she did. Alois smirked in his control, like he was playing fetch with a dog, then he looked at me.

"Why are you standing? I want you to sit down. Sit!"

I quietly took a seat next to him at the round table. His eyes returned to Hannah who was just leaving the room with the triples. The four servants made their exit with probably hidden curiosity.

_"Useless hag."_ He spat under his breath. I could not tell where Claude was, but apparently, the young Trancy wanted to be left alone, with me. And it made me glad.

And terrified.

Would he punish me for kissing him?

"Your presence is more pleasant than anyone else's." He explained with a bored expression. His small but slender fingers reached around a wine glass as he took a sip from it. He was looking at me the entire time, but then, his eyes closed while drinking. His long but not too girly eyelashes rested upon his cheekbones. I caught myself staring at his face when he had placed down the glass. I was ready to look another way, until he spoke again.

"Your kisses are maladroitly sloppy, though..." He smirked after he spoke, and I blushed. His chin rested in the palm of his hand as his eyes glued themselves to my lips, the fingers on his free hand caressed the stem of the crystal glass.

"Say," He snapped me out of my moment of shame and his gaze collided with mine. He changed his position as he let his fingers tangle themselves together underneath his chin as both of his elbows rested on the small surface at the edge of the table before his unfinished meal.

"Do you have boyfriend?"

"No." I said too quickly, feeling awfully shy.

But a bit honest.

And a bit dumb.

He blinked slowly as a knowing smile appeared on his face, like it wasn't a big surprise to him at all.

"Your past then?" He asked.

"Nothing serious..." I smiled lightly and stared down at my hands. He leaned back in his chair, not leaving me with his eyes.

"You are a virgin then." He said, not even asking. I stared at him like he'd slayed someone. But instead of blushing, my entire being paled.

"E-excuse me?" I said, sounding shocked and a bit offended at his words. Alois had been enjoying watching me this entire time. He'd leaned back comfortably in his chair with his arms folded behind his neat, blonde hair. His calm, entertained being didn't last long, though.

Instead, he broke out into a fits of giggles as he leaned towards the table while looking me in the eyes. His hands grabbed the seat between his legs so he wouldn't fall over. He cooked his head to the side, the mess of blonde locks hanging from his head.

"Have you even kissed somebody before?!" He asked while laughing softly but uncontrollably.

"Of course I have!" I turned my face away from him with a pout.

_Well now I was blushing alright..._ His laughter continued to chime in the background. If it was mocking laughter or genuine giggles, I would never know. What do you expect from Alois Trancy? There where no restrictions between him and his manners.

_Etiquette..._

His laughter died down promptly. It was like cutting off a thin thread of noise. The whole dining room went quiet.

Everything became painfully awkward when none of us felt the desire to speak. Though, It was hard for both of us to find any words to say. I poked a folded napkin in front of me and considered starting humming.

_Where was Claude again?_

"Can I kiss you?"

My heart looped in my chest, even though I only did hear his voice. I had to look back at him to even believe what he'd said.

Yes. He was deadly serious. His hands remained trapped between his thighs as he was still staring intensely at me, almost falling to the floor from leaning forward so much. But he was serious alright. His whole being was waiting for an answer. And I got a feeling that if I turned him down, he wouldn't be merciful.

"Uh."

I wondered if I was okay with it.

"For your own obtrusiveness, I am not expecting any resistance from your part. Your bold action must not only remain your own." A small, melancholic and kind of restrained chuckle left him. He kept his stare at me.

His blue eyes are so pretty. I were almost overpowered by the requirement of his. He was right; I put myself into this by lurking him into my sudden action of, was it, love? This is what I wanted, right? And even if not; how could I possibly...

I got a feeling that if I turned him down, he wouldn't be merciful so even if I declined, it wouldn't matter.

_Or make any sense._

_So why not say.._

"Fair enough."

My sudden boldness shocked the both of us.

But mostly myself.


	7. Chapter 7

_Gold and glass. Glass and gold._

_Glass. Gold._

_Glasses._

**_Darkness._**

I did everything I could to repress my fear, but my mouth almost gaped in terror and the hair on the back of my neck stood up.

I never frowned upon Claude Faustus. In fact, I never even dared to look him in the eyes. I was barely noticeable in his presence, to begin with.

_Well, I thought..._

I got proved wrong with a flash of black and golden; I was pinned to the wall by the majestic butler, dressed in black and blessed with ivory skin. I was helpless in his powerful gaze behind the puny barrier of glass. I did not dare to wonder what kind of effect his stare would have on me if I removed his glasses.

He didn't touch me, but he was towering above me, and that was enough to keep me in place. His golden gaze was nailing me to the wall. And then he spoke to me. He spoke to me for the first time, and what he said was far, far away from my most intense imaginations, and beyond.

"I would let myself be exploited by the gods, even the devil himself, to have the honor to serve you in another life..." His gloved hand appeared in front of my face. He barely touched me, yet my head flinched backwards, my eyes shutting tightly. I took a deep breath before I dared to open them.

"Thank you, but- I have to... E-excuse me.." I tried to get away from him and continue my way towards Alois study, which was my basic intention, and it felt more than tempting at this moment.

"My apologizes." With a swift action, his hands where on either side of my head.

"My young Highness are busy with work in his study, I'm afraid." He said, shadowing me like a dark horse. He leaned down, his ebony hair nudging the side of my face as he said quietly; "Are You _afraid?_" I felt his smirk as he brushed his lips towards the corner of my own.

"No!" I pushed against his chest, trashing my nails against his torso. I entangled myself from him ran as fast as I could towards the room I was on my way to in the first place. To Alois. To where Claude no longer could harm me.

I burst through the room into his study like the manor was on fire, startling the blond behind the desk.

"Alois!" I shouted. It was a brave thing to do, but I rather be punished by the young Earl than tangled in his butler's spiderweb.

"What!?- Ah, there you are!" He squeaked. He stood up with a big grin on his face, pale blue eyes shining in curiosity at my sudden appearance as he skipped towards me.

I was so glad to see him, and even though I couldn't care less about his mood swings in a situation like this, I wanted to cry in happiness at his happy-go-lucky behavior, which would be rather suspicious otherwise.

"You're late." He scolded.

I grabbed onto him, almost knocking the air out of him. He stiffened as I wrapped my arms firmly around his slim torso.

"Alois!" I repeated, sounding less desperate. I nuzzled my face into his neck.

"What's the matter with you?" He muttered and slowly put his slim arms around me, returning the embrace.

"Claude.."

"What?!" Alois clutched onto my shoulders and stared daggers into my eyes after roughly pushing me away from him. My arms fell limply to my sides. His angry eyes made me incapable of speaking. So instead, my eyes watered. Alois looked furious. His grip on my shoulders tightened.

"What did Claude do?" He demanded.

"He-" I began. But how should I continue?

_"Hi Alois, your butler molested me in the halls on my way here!_

"What did he do." He stated, eyes of blue sharpening like edges of icicles. I begun crying again.

_Good God. Why was I so sensitive?_

I suddenly felt his palm collide with the side of my face. He slapped me. But it did not take long before I felt the harmless touch of his warm fingers as he cupped my face in his hands. I flinched back slightly, but he forced me to look at him.

"Say. What did Claude do to you?" He asked softly. I swallowed.

"He... He confronted me. He pushed me to the wall by force. I didn't do or say anything to him- I swear!" I spoke as I waited for him to do something. He muttered something under his breath as he let go of my face. I think he rolled his eyes.

"Did he hurt you?" He asked without looking at me.

"No."

"Are you afraid of him?"

"Uh... I'm not sure, I-"

"You shouldn't be." Alois smiled at me.

"But if he do anything else to you, then let me know." He said seriously. I quickly nodded.

Alois walked towards the doorway where I'd left the door wide open and glanced down the halls suspiciously. He stepped into the room again and slowly closed the door behind him. He turned to me. A mischievous gleam danced in his eyes.

"You looked utterly ridiculous when you burst in here and started weeping and blabbering like a lunatic!" He chuckled. I felt the skin on my face tingle. _I surely did..._

Alois stepped towards me. He looked quite normal but I could still tell that something was lingering in the back of his head. And of course, it was Claude.

**It is always Claude.**

_But what was I to him?_

"Can you embrace me like that again?" Alois asked.

_Well, there is only one way to find out..._


	8. Chapter 8

_"I do not blame him in any way._

_I must simply adjust to his nature._

_I can not continue otherwise..._

_As a maid, it is my duty to serve him no matter how cruel he can be._

_But I somehow adore you, Miss. Therefore, I have chosen to tell you._

_Because, you are **not** me. You do **not** have to stay here, because it is **not** your duty._

_I want you to know that I don't say this to you because I crave your pity._

_I'm telling you this because I might save you from getting hurt,_

_even though I can tell you mean a lot to him._

_You can leave anytime you want to._

_That is your freedom. _

_If that is what you want, of course."_

I listened, and listened, every single word planting a seed of worry within me. Alois, despite acting like a carefree child was a very dramatic morbid, eccentric and foul-mounted person. And I knew about that.

But it wasn't until Hannah explained the cause of her injury, that the seed started to grow and increase, spread new seeds in every little cell in my body, and multiply; Growing out of my expression and sprinkle my eyes with tears of fright.

_"Alois, my master, removed the sight of my left eye._

**_with his bare hand."_**

My heart was thorn into two different directions, but my first instinct was to flee. I reminded myself to stay calm as I walked through the halls in the huge mansion. Everything I looked at lost it's meaning. This was no longer the same place anymore. This was the manor of a manipulative, cruel, abusing boy with too much time on his hands, yet a part of me wanted to stay. But a even bigger part of me wanted to leave, and never come back.

When Hannah discretely called me to her room, I never thought that this would be the outcome of our conversation. It was strange... I was both very surprised, and Not. But it was too much for me. I feared seeing the young Earl again. I had to stay away from him from now on. I turned a corner, and just like that, the greatest fear of mine was as real as it could be.

Alois Trancy. Platinum hair. Icy eyes. Outgoing and optimistic, sometimes pessimistic. Slender figure. Dazzling smile. Carefree and dangerous. And he stood right in front of me. I took a startled step back, but he grasped my hand, preventing me from moving further away from him.

"A little lost, are we?" Alois grinned widely, flashing me a pearly set of his white teeth. His tall butler stood behind him. Quiet and uninterested. Alois seemed to notice my uneasiness. My hand shook in his slightly, and I'm sure he was aware of that. He smirked.

"Did I scare you?" He chuckled.

"N-No." My voice shock as I tried to move away from him.

"Funny, you seem rather-"

I dared to pull my hand out of his, rather roughly. My heart stopped. I didn't mean to. I stopped breathing when I saw the look on his face. Even Claude seemed rather surprised at my rude action. He finished his sentence with a mutter.

"... frightened." Alois frowned, he could sense it. The way I suddenly avoided him, the way I didn't trust him anymore. He didn't like it. He did not allow me to reject his touch.

"Oh, well then..." He said in a sultry voice. He tested me, leaning in towards me. I took a step back from him, my hand resting worryingly on my chest. My reaction told him all he needed to know, and in that instant, his brows furrowed.

"Hold on." He said as his expression suddenly changed drastically. He looked rather puzzled as he looked above my head, at the direction I came from.

"Why did you come from.." He mumbled to himself, eyes glancing along the hall that would lead you to the rest of the servants room.

My blood froze. My eyes widened. My soul left my body. I was a human frozen in stone.

_He knew._

"Say, can you tell me what you were doing over there?"

"No." This wasn't a good idea. Someway, somehow, soon, or now, Alois would find out about this. Find out about my secret conversation with his maid. He always did. He always found out about everything. I could almost feel the danger in the air, lingering around me. He knew. He knew. He knew. He _knew _that I knew. His silence screamed louder than any angry outburst. I had to get away.

"I'm sorry. I need to go." My body felt numb when I walked around him, his eyes making me self-conscious.

"Claude." Alois called, and his butler blocked my path. I turned around to face Alois again.

"You're not going anywhere."

"We were only talking."

"We?..."

"Me and Hannah." Alois's eyes widened slightly at her name, so slightly I wasn't quite sure it had really happened in fact. Claude observed the two of us, he might as well even be the witness of something brutal. I had to make things right before it's too late.

"I-I just asked if she was alright." I smiled. I could imagine how fake that smile must have looked. I felt like a buffoon.

"Of course she's fine! - Why wouldn't she?" He spoke quickly and sternly, without blinking. His young voice suddenly had a hard edge of it. He knew. Of course he knew. He knew everything.

"What's going on here?" He demanded. My heart speeds up.

"You can tell me. It's alright, don't worry." He says in a somewhat uncharacteristically quiet, soothing tone.

I wanted to escape, but I felt Claude's presence behind me, and I did not feel like running into his chest again. Trapped between himself and his butler, Alois could easily harm me now if he wanted to, but he doesn't. All he does is pulling me towards him. He strode forward, gathering me in his slender arm, crashing his mouth to mine in a kiss, that never were innocent in the first place. I was surprised by his action. I was worried about Hannah, and myself. I was scared. I was confused. I was flattered. I wondered what Claude; his butler were thinking. He never thought about anything. I was in trance. I was revealed. I was caught.

_And I was terrified of Earl Alois Trancy._


	9. Chapter 9

_I feel buried._

_Cherished. Spoiled. Warm._

_I don't want to move, but I feel like I must._

The moment I opened my eyes and saw the neat decor in the marvelous guest room, I just realized that I haven't slept this good in ages. I almost feel embarrassed for thinking about how surprised I am by that fact.

The room. The Aura. The smell.

It wasn't even in my own home. Yet, I really must admit that I have had a good night. Every little fiber of my being were pressing my side to the mattress as I hopelessly lay with my arms laid out in front of me on the queen-sized bed. My eyes tiredly closed and opened repeatedly.

Nothing will make me leave this heavenly bed...

_This must be inner peace…_

Like the struck of lightning, a wave of another realization washed over me;

I was not only sleeping in another bed than my own; I was in another house. A mansion. A manor.

**The Earl Trancy manor.**

**The household of Alois Trancy.**

My tired lifeless eyes widened like I just had gotten a knife thrust through my chest. The all too regular routines spun around in my brain. It was morning.

_I should have seen him by now._

Did I sleep in?

_He's waiting for me down in the dining room._

_We shall accompany each other and share breakfast._

What time is it?

_Alois will join me._

_Claude will serve us tea,_

_And Alois eat his under cooked egg..._

That's how it always is. But what will happen now when I woke up late? Did Alois forget to wake me up like he usually does? It was not only going to be awkward entering the dining room alone and say a flat "Good morning", I might as well be labeled as rude and careless and lazy and-

I must be the worst guest in history.

I was just about to jump out of the bed like a scared cat without having an actual plan. But not only the fibers in my being held me down. This force was much more… physical. Then what was it?

Something other than me was moving. I wasn't alone. A body existed next to my own.

A person. Living. Breathing. Sleeping. **Alois.**

_Again…_

I tried to move another time and just as I expected, tidy limbs were preventing me. I understand now why the bed contained so much warmth; it wasn't only my own body heat hiding underneath the thick cover.

"Alois?" I asked gently. My eyes scanned my side of the room, such as looking for an answer in the shiny glass of the window, or in-between or behind the expensive items decoration the furniture.

No answer. He was fast asleep.

Earl Alois Trancy were unconscious next to myself. This has never happened before.

There is indeed nights where Alois have sneaked into my temporary room because of his brutal insomnia and fear of darkness, in order to have my company. He didn't have the pride to ask me to join him in his bed chamber, so instead he simply did things as he always did.

He did whatever he felt like he wanted. Without asking for it.

But never was I the one waking up _before_ him. Alois is surprisingly an early-riser, and have a habit of waking me up loudly and playfully; violently jumping on top of me, ripping of the covers and literally kick me out of bed with childish giggles. Maybe because he wanted to reject the fact that he'd given up on his private, personal sleep and conceal our shared nights with his careless manners. Maybe not.

_But what was his excuse now?_

I swallowed, feeling how dry my throat were, and tried to be as quiet as possible as I held my breath. I carefully lifted the covers off me and, yes, indeed... One of his hands clutched onto the thin fabric of the blouse I slept in. His arm were around the lower part of my ribcage and waist as he pressed his face in between my shoulder blades.

"Alois?" I repeated, just to be safe. Maybe I simply woke him up by removing a bit of the covers from us. No answer. Sitting up was utterly terrifying for some reason. It felt like a lion were sleeping next to me, capturing me within his claws. I dared to move up a few centimeters by steadying myself with my elbow, well until I discovered that he had tangled our legs together. I let out a small sigh.

_Will I get through this alive? I know that the young Trancy is an early-riser, but is he a morning person?..._

_What if I just go back to sleep and wait until he wakes up again? No, that's the silliest thing I ever heard. How could I possibly go back to sleep with the knowledge of having him this near me?_

I shut my eyes. I think my heart stopped when I forced myself to sit up, and felt his fingers get ripped away from my blouse and his hand fall limply to the mattress. I took the same opportunity to entangle our legs and creep out of the covers. I let out a deep sigh as I managed to not wake him up and I could finally open my eyes again.

I hotheadedly sat on the side of the bed with my feet facing the floor. I felt awfully cold. I didn't dare to turn my head to look at him and face him for the first time this day, in case he actually was awake, but I did, And...

**_Oh my-_**

_Is this the person I just intentionally choose to break away from?_

Soft, slow pants escaped from him. His small, glossy lips were parted slightly as he breathed. Blonde locks with shimmer of silver embraced his peaceful face. Long light eyelashes rested upon his porcelain cheeks, just like Alois now rested in this bed.

_The guestroom bed._

_My bed._

The white shirt he was wearing looked too big on him and showed of the delicate skin stretching over his collarbones and neck. His naked, scrawny legs lay spread among the clean mess of sheets. The hand on the arm that was facing the mattress lay like a small claw near his face, united to his skinny wrist. The other rested on his hip like a shrimp on a cocktail glass.

_How careless of me._

I grabbed the duvet that only covered his feet and calves and hid his body; covering the whole of him except his face. I hesitated a long time before my fingertips met his warm forehead and cautiously moved away a few hair strands from his eyelids. His eyebrows twitched slightly as I did so, but he didn't do more that and I didn't dare to do more than that either. I smiled at him, even though he obviously couldn't see.

I couldn't help but wonder…

_What would he do if I jumped on top of him?_

_What would he do if I carelessly ripped of the covers off him?_

_What would he do if I pushed him over the edge of the bed and let him meet his faith on the cold hard floor?_

I guess only Alois could do these things and get away with it, and still keep his charm and gain respect. What could I do then? It's hard to believe that this is the loud, childish and over-sensitive boy with the happy-go-lucky personality, just like the morbid, cruel and unjust Earl with a closed heart.

_What would he do if I gave him a kiss?_

I yawned and looked out the window. It was morning alright. The sun is shining… I scratched my head and glanced at the nightstand. Nothing interesting. I was just about to bring myself out of bed when the tone of the lion cub startled me.

"Where do you think you're going?" He asked. He didn't sound very nice, but oh how he sounded sleepy. Oh how he sounded sleepy! I never heard Alois Trancy sleepy before. My whole body jumped when he suddenly had spoken.

"Oh, you're awake!" I said as I looked back at him. He looked just as angelic like he did before, only that his light blue orbs were now visible.

"I see you are, as well…" He muttered, his cold voice matching the color of his eyes. He closed his eyes again. _Was he going back to sleep?_

"Did you stay with me all night?" I asked curiously.

"Are you judging me?"

"Of course not."

"Fine.." He opened his eyes again, this time a small smirk gracing his lips. He sat up with a groan, the covers slipping off his torso again. It was strange how different that night shirt looked on him when he was awake.

"Did you sleep well?" I asked.

"Of course." He mumbled back, the smile still visible. He didn't look at me.

_Hold on… Was that a **blush** covering his porcelain cheeks? No, that can't be-_

"Thank you." He looked at me.

My mouth almost gaped. I've never seen him show gratefulness to anybody before.

"Alois… I, uhm." I didn't know what to say. He started to look very uncomfortable, and it made me even more uncomfortable!

"Why are you thanking me for?" My heart started to speed up a little.

"Because…" His hands grasped the covers. His blue eyes staring at his white knuckles.

"Because?" I urged, trying to help him with his sentence. He didn't like that very much. He shot me warning glance, like I just had interrupted him. (Which I actually did…)

He continued. "Because I.."

"…"

"I must say that…"

"…"

"..."

"..."

**"FOR THE SAKE OF-! **Never mind! You already ruined everything..." He scolded at me and ripped off the rest of the covers from his body. It was sweet how he tried to calm himself down at first, but failed miserably by angrily sitting up with a pout.

"What?! What did I do?" I asked anxiously.

He placed his bare legs underneath his sitting figure and smirked, gathering the thick cover in his arms.

"You woke me up, of course! Stupid woman!" And with that, he tossed the covers over me.

_Alois Trancy is an early riser, as well as he is a sleepyhead._

_He is a morning person, and…_

_He isn't a morning person._

_But he is Alois, and that is everything that matters._


	10. Chapter 10

Early morning.

Who will be the veneration?

Time permitting another day that is lighting up the stair of hours.

Unsoiled and completely at the mercy for our footprints.

_Touch me._

_Do not touch me._

But _indeed_ do.

And fingertips. Fingertips that boldly dare to touch the forbidden. A tidy hand that touches the taboo domain on my rear part.

Lower and lower down. Way too far down, And a last; a squeeze that leave me speechless.

"Alois! What in the world are you doing!?" I raised my voice at him for the first time in forever. I turned around from the bouquet of flowers I organized for an upcoming ball the young Earl was preparing. My wide open eyes and parted lips showed him how shocked and startled I was by his **shameless** action.

He carried in light and his shadow rushed up the wall.

He had never known himself so big and dark.

Did he sleep inside himself and was brought up only by light?

_And a dozen flowers._

At first, Alois looked a bit shocked himself, probably at my sudden outburst but his baffled face quickly changed to another expression; Seductive and contemptuous. His half-lidded eyes gazed at me as he slowly stalked towards me, hands hidden behind his back.

_**"Ooh…"**_ He booed huskily in a whimper of some sort. He was near me, face ever so close to my own.

_"You sound almost **angered**. I sense some hostility."_ He whispered. I moved away from him, backing into the table graced with bloom and colors. He sighed at my uneventful reaction and moved away himself. "Have you seen Claude?" He asked bluntly with a bored expression, already grown tired of my presence.

"Nope." I said and continued picking the flowers. Alois stood on his tip toes and peeked over my shoulder. He moved to stand beside me as he examined them. "Do you like roses?" He asked kindly. I looked at him. His light blue eyes seemed to sparkle as he examined each and every one of them.

_That day he whistled at his easel. He had had a conversation with a butterfly. _

_At last the long winter released. The colors had eased and got air._

_Here was the new cloth at the old_

_"Look," he said. "Look what a difference."_

_We looked, and then at each other._

_**The difference?** Did we see?_

"Hmm…" I thought loudly. I bit my lip. "Do you?" I asked back.

"Well of course!" He chimed.

I giggled, "Then _I'll_ like them too…"

He beamed at my response.

"Why are you looking after.. him?" I asked quietly, remembering what he'd asked me earlier.

"Claude?" He asked loudly, looking at me attentively. I nodded.

"I don't know actually." He muttered and frowned at the flowers.

"But that does no longer matter, **- I've got you!**" He embraced my upper arm and rubbed his face against it, his sweet smell embracing me when he leaned on me.

"Alois."

"Yes?" He answered almost instantly, wide curious eyes staring almost expectantly up at me. I can't tell why I called for him. It just felt like I needed to say something to him, but I cannot recall.

"Nothing." I gave in and gave him a small smile. I spontaneously hugged him close to me before he could say anything and rested my chin in his platinum locks.

_I am with you_, said the moment. _I'm here._

The yellow lilies broke out this morning,

from birch bower murmurs all day a lively song of happiness.

**What do you want more?**

_I love you._

I suddenly felt his breath on the area in between my collarbones. He started to place small kisses up laryngeal. A little shy tongue that has been acquainted with another's skin before... My eyes widened. I placed my hands on his shoulders and tried to push him away from me but he clung to my body like a leech.

_And I blushed. And I blushed **because **I blushed._

"Alois, what are you doing?" I asked softly with a tone that sounded saddened, when I finally removed him from me. His eyes withheld a strange change of blue and looked interested, shameless and empty at the same time. His glossy lips turned into a small smile that didn't look real at all.

"What?_ Don't you **want** me?"_ He asked. I think he wanted to sound quite disappointed himself, and make me guilty of pushing him away. But to me, he just sounded like a music box, forced to play without music. Over and over again. His will was none.

_A body without a mind, with one purpose only.._

_Pleasing another._

I felt my eyes sting when I thought about it.

**_My blood freezing to ice._**

_Some memories, you shouldn't remember._

_Let them be as the bottom stones._

_Let them glisten when water layers allows light but has tow in the shade, which protects the eyes and as well protects memory._

Alois's agreement. That old man in the painting. _Alois. Alois. Alois._

I shook my head numbly, my lips begun trembling. I wanted to cry right there when I saw the _actual_ refusal in his eyes; that was concealed with strong seduction he once had to display to that horrendous disgusting monster.

"N-no…" I said. Alois hands reached up to cup my face but I grabbed them before he touched me. I received a lost, confused look from him.

I do not want more. But I _saw_ more:

_on the ground the bird's nest is crushed_

_and ants crawling over the dead nestling._

_Everything_ belongs to me, said the moment. _**Everything.**_

_"Not like this."_ I whispered and let go of him. Walking out of the great hall with shameless steps, hoping he'd look after Claude like he intended to do.

Because whatever he was willing to offer me at this moment, I couldn't and wouldn't accept it.

_Unless his mind was free._

_His expression genuine._

_Words his own._

_Until music begins to play again, and wipe away the unwillingness in his unexplainable eyes._

No. Everything belongs to _me_,** said** **Alois Earl Trancy.**

**Everything.**


End file.
